The present invention is directed to an x-radiator, particularly for producing intra-oral dental exposures, which x-radiator has an x-ray tube and a high-voltage generator having a high-voltage transformer, which are arranged in a shared or common housing, to which a telescope barrel is connected. The high-voltage transformer is arranged between the x-ray tube and the telescope barrel and comprises a channel for the passage of the x-ray beam generated by the x-ray tube.
X-radiators for producing dental exposures, whose housings have a barrel which serves the purpose of assuring a certain minimum distance between the focus of the x-ray tube and the examination subject for reasons of radiation protection, are usually secured to a wall bracket. The bracket comprises a plurality of articulations, which allow the x-radiator to be aligned to the examination subject in an expedient way. In order to be able to undertake all required examinations, the wall bracket, as experience has shown, must exhibit such a length that it is possible to position the x-radiator horizontally aligned and directed at the wall such that an end face of the barrel has a distance of approximately 1.5 meters from that wall to which the wall bracket is secured. The wall bracket and the articulations thereof must absorb considerable stresses so that suitable measure must be undertaken in order to guarantee an adequate static stability of the wall bracket and in order to prevent vibrations of the wall bracket, which would diminish the exposure quality. Since an x-radiator is manually aligned to the examination subject, a handy housing shape is also desirable.
An x-radiator which is constructed so that the x-ray tube is arranged between the high-voltage transformer and the barrel, is disclosed in a sales publication or brochure entitled "Heliodent 70", Siemens AG, No. A19100-M47-A306. This x-radiator has a thin shape, which facilitates the manipulation; however, the center of gravity of the known x-ray tube is at a very great distance from the end face of the barrel. This has a disadvantageous effect on the stresses on the bracket, particularly given positions of the x-radiator in which it exhibits its greatest distance from the wall, and is aligned thereto. This stress is all the greater the farther the center of gravity of the x-radiator is distance from the end face of the barrel adjacent to the examination subject and, thus, from the wall.
An x-radiator, which has a tubular high-voltage transformer with a bore receiving an x-ray tube with the x-ray beam emerge through a channel of the high-voltage transformer, which channel extends transverse relative to the bore or axis of the transformer, is disclosed in German Pat. No. 629,610. In the case of this x-radiator, the high-voltage transformer is, thus, at least partially situated between the x-ray tube and the barrel so that a reduced distance of the center of gravity of the x-radiator from the end face of the barrel is present. This is an advantage in view of the stressing for the wall bracket. In order to achieve this advantage, however, the high-voltage transformer is constructed in a complicated and, consequently, costly fashion. In addition, the known x-radiator does not exhibit or provide a handy shape.
X-radiators of the species initially cited are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,157,476, and 2,137,122. As a consequence of the arranging of the high-voltage transformer between the x-ray tube and the barrel, the center of gravity of these x-radiators is considerably closer to the end face of the barrel than in the case of the x-radiator, wherein the x-ray tube is arranged between the barrel and the high-voltage transformer. As a consequence of the channel provided in the high-voltage transformer, the latter exhibits a large outside dimension in the case of both of these known x-radiators, so that both x-radiators each have a bulky, roughly cuboid shape which runs counter to a comfortable manipulation.